Drum for storing and dispensing a reeled clip line

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a clip storage drum for storing and dispensing a reeled clip line, in particular a line of S-clips, said drum comprising a drum body which has a hub and side walls respectively arranged at the axial end faces of said hub, said side walls extending beyond the circumferential surface of the hub in the radial direction. The storage space defined by the inner facing surfaces of the side walls and the hub and extending circumferentially around the hub is used to accommodate the clip line. According to the invention, a holding means for fixing the start of the clip line to the drum body is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the hub.

This application claims priority to, and the benefit of, German PatentApplication No. 20 2011 107 493.9 filed Nov. 4, 2011 with the GermanPatent Office, which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a clip storage drum for storing and dispensinga reeled clip line, in accordance with the preamble of claim 1.

Such a clip storage drum is known from DE utility model 20 2007 006 428.Said drum comprises a drum body having a hub and side walls respectivelydisposed at the axial end faces of the hub, said side walls extendingbeyond the outer surface of the hub in the radial direction. Acircumferential storage space for accommodating the clip line is definedby the facing surfaces of the side walls and the outer surface of thehub.

Using such clip storage drums in clipping machines that are used inconjunction with a stuffing machine to produce sausage products is knownfrom DE patent 10 2005 032 530. In the clipping machine, the fillingmaterial is stuffed into a tubular casing which is closed at one end bya first clip, and the casing is closed by placing a second clip. Theclips may be U-shaped, with the two lateral legs being parallel to eachother or at an obtuse angle to each other, as known from DE patent 32 44979, for example.

In the clipping machine, the clips are fed as a clip line along apredefined guide track to closing tools at a rate which is dependent onthe dimensions of the clip. The clips and the closing tools of theclipping machine are matched to each other for this purpose. The clipsize must be changed in order to produce different sausage products, sothe closing tools are also replaced accordingly. In order to preventoperating errors, it is also necessary that those clips still located onthe drum body occupy defined positions during synchronized dispensing ofthe clips from the clip storage drum.

There are two different kinds of clips in practice, namely “R-clips” and“S-clips”. The former are already wound in many ways onto clip storagedrums of the kind initially specified and are dispensed from theseduring the clipping operation. In practice, “S-clips” are provided inthe form of sticks that are fed via linear or slightly curved tracks tothe respective clipping site. However, such known feed systems forS-clips are limited in their length, since otherwise it is not possibleto feed the S-clips manually into said feed tracks, due to the limitedheight of humans.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a clip storage drum of thekind initially specified, on which predetermined positioning of theclips on the drum body is assured when storing them on the drum body anddispensing them in a clipping machine.

According to the invention, this object is achieved with a clip storagedrum having the features of independent claim 1.

In this clip storage drum, a holding means for fixing the start of theclip line to the drum body, the clip line preferably comprising S-clips,is arranged on the hub and more particularly on the outercircumferential surface of the hub. By fixing the start of the clip linein a particular position on the drum body, the clips in the clip lineare likewise positioned in predetermined positions on the drum body whenthe clip line is placed on the drum body, when storing the clip line andwhen dispensing the clips in the clipping machine. This ensures that theclips are exactly positioned when they are fed in a synchronized mannerto the closing tools of the clipping machine.

The holding means is preferably designed in such a way that the clipline is securely held when it is reeled onto the clip storage drum andwhen reeled off the storage drum during production. The start of theclip line is released from the holding means to unreel it completely.The holding means operates by exerting an appropriate biasing force onthe start of the clip line.

The holding means may preferably be embodied as a clamping device forclamping the start of the clip line. The retention force of the holdingmeans which is preferably designed to be resiliently elastic, may bedirected towards the outer hub surface.

The face of the holding means engaging with the start of the clip linemay be adapted to the cross-sectional profile of the start of the clipline to ensure that the start of the clip line is adequately fixed tothe drum body. For this purpose, the holding means may be adapted togrip several clips at the start of the clip line.

The holding means may preferably be in the shape of a hook. This ensuresthat the start of the clip line can easily be arranged in the positionin which it is to be fixed on the circumferential surface of the hub.This is particularly the case when the hook-shaped holding means isresiliently elastic.

The holding means is preferably formed integrally with the hub. Thisensures that the hub and the holding means are joined togethersufficiently securely. The drum body and the holding means arepreferably made of plastic, for example of polystyrene. Whenmanufacturing the drum body, several component members of the drum bodycan be made by casting or by injection molding, and joined together bywelding or gluing, for example.

As already mentioned at the outset, “R-clips” and “S-clips” are known inpractice. R-clips are made of a metal wire or the like, which is shapedin such a way that the clips are successively arranged one after theother such that their closure planes, as defined by the legs and thebottom portion of each clip, are all in one plane. The clips aresuccessively joined to each other at the respective ends of the cliplegs. S-clips, in contrast, are arranged one against the other in a row,in such a way that their closure planes, which, as mentioned above, aredefined by the plane formed by the bottom portion of the clip and itstwo legs, lie one against the other. These clips have the shape of theletter “U” in many cases, the clip legs and the bottom portion of eachsingle clip lying against the clip legs and the bottom portion ofsubsequent clip. S-clips, which are already discrete, can be heldtogether by an adhesive strip which extends along the outer side of thebottom portions of clips lying one against the other.

The present invention is especially advantageous in the case of S-clips,in particular, because until now, as mentioned at the outset, such clipshave only been fed as sticks in straight or slightly curved feed tracksof a clipping machine. With the proposed solution, it is also possiblenow to wind such S-clips onto a clip storage drum, with the result thatthe number of clipping operations that can be carried out before theS-clips loaded into the machine are used up means that the processduration or the duration of machine operation can be significantlylonger.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention shall now be described in further detail with reference tothe Figures showing embodiments of the invention, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a first embodiment of a clip storagedrum, with a clip line reeled thereon;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 a shows a detail A in FIG. 2;

FIG. 3 shows a plan view of the embodiment in FIG. 1, without a clipline;

FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of a detail B in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the clip storage drum along lineA-A in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 a shows an enlarged view of a detail C in FIG. 5, showing anembodiment of a holding means provided in the first embodiment;

FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a clip storagedrum, with a clip line reeled thereon in the form of a spiral;

FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of the second embodiment; and

FIG. 8 a shows an enlarged view of a detail Z in FIG. 8, showing anotherembodiment of a holding means provided in the second embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The clip storage drum of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 a,which is preferably provided for S-clips, contains a drum body 10 havinga hub 50 and side walls 22 and 32 respectively arranged at the axial endfaces of hub 50. Side walls 22 and 32 extend perpendicularly to the hubaxis 52. A storage space which is defined by the two side walls 22 and32 and radially inwards by the outer circumferential surface of hub 50,and which is radially outwardly open, is used to store a reeled clipline 60. Clip line 60 is formed by a plurality of U-shaped clips 62(S-clips) which are arranged one against the other. Clips 62 aredesigned in such a way that two lateral legs running parallel to eachother are provided on a middle portion and perpendicular thereto.

A holding means 20 is arranged immediately adjacent to side wall 32 onthe outer circumferential surface of hub 50 (FIG. 3). This holding means20, which is shaped like a hook, is used to fix the start of the clipline 60 to drum body 10. Holding means 20 is attached to hub 50. To thatend, holding means 20 may be formed integrally with hub 50. However, itis also possible that holding means 20 be molding onto a hub memberwhich is securely joined to the rest of the hub body by gluing, welding,or the like.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, holding means 20 is located in the region ofan opening 26 in one of the two side walls (22, 32). In the embodimentshown, opening 26 is in side wall 32, so it is possible, for examplewith the aid of optical means or visual inspection, to check whether thestart of the clip line is securely fixed in the desired position byholding means 20. The remaining parts of the clip line can be reeledalongside and above each other in several layers inside the storagespace between side walls 22 and 23, as can be seen from FIG. 1.

In the embodiment shown, holding means 20 is embodied as a clampingdevice which can exert a retention force, in the direction of the hubsurface, on the fixed start of clip line 60. The surface of the holdingmeans 20 engaging the start of the clip line may be substantiallyadapted for this purpose to the cross-sectional profile of the fixedstart of the clip line. The hook-shaped holding means 20 preferably hasa free end 24 which broadens towards the hub surface, as can be seenfrom FIG. 5 a, in particular.

Holding means 20 fixes the start of the clip line in place and thus alsoclip line 60, which is reeled in the circumferential direction of hub 50in the storage space between side walls 22, 32. Holding means 20 may bedesigned in such a way that one or more clips at the start of the clipline are secured in the circumferential direction of hub 50 by theholding means.

An angle reference point 54 is provided on hub 50. In the embodimentshown, this angle reference point is on the inner circumferentialsurface of hub 50. As can be seen from FIG. 2 a, in particular, thisangle reference point 54 is embodied as a radially inwardly pointingprojection. Holding means 20 is arranged at a particular angle to thisangle reference point 54. Angle reference point 54 ensures that the clipstorage drum 10 and hence also the start of the clip line fixed byholding means 20 are arranged at defined angles in a rotary mount of theclipping machine. To that end, angle reference point 54 in the form of aprojection may be brought into engagement with a matching recess ornotch in the rotary mount for clip storage drum 10 in the clippingmachine, in order to provide a non-rotating connection.

The second embodiment of a clip storage drum shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 a,which likewise is preferably provided for S-clips, likewise has a drumbody 110 comprising a hub 150 and side walls 122, 132. As can be seenfrom FIG. 7, in particular, the side walls extend radially outwards atan obtuse angle relative to the outer circumferential surface of hub 150and a hub axis 152. A holding means 120 is attached to the outercircumferential surface of hub 150 in the axial middle thereof. Thisholding means 120 is used to fix the start of clip line 160. Clip line160 is formed by substantially U-shaped clips 162 arranged one againstthe other. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the two lateral clip legs extendat an obtuse angle from the middle clip portion. Clip line 160 isarranged in the radially outwardly open storage space which is formed bythe outer circumferential surface of hub 150 and the two side walls 122and 132 projecting at an obtuse angle therefrom, and is stored in layerslying one above the other in a spiral.

The start of clip line 164, which is formed by a plurality of clips 162(FIG. 8 a), is fixed to hub 150 on the outer circumferential surfacethereof. On the surface which is in contact with clips 162, thehook-shaped holding means 120 has surface regions which are adapted forthis purpose to the cross-sectional profile of the respective clips 162and which partly surround the respective cross-sectional profiles. Thesesurface regions may be provided in the form of parallel channels on thesurface of holding means 120 which is in contact with clips 162. This isillustrated in FIG. 8 a.

In this embodiment also, holding means 120 is securely joined to thebody of hub 150. This can be achieved by embodying the holding means 120integrally with hub 150, or by molding it onto a hub portion which issecurely joined to the rest of the hub body by gluing, welding, or insome other way.

Holding means 120 is located in the region of an opening 126 which isarranged in one of the two side walls, which in the embodiment shown isside wall 132.

In both embodiments, holding means 20, 120 may be designed to beresiliently elastic and may exert a retention force in the direction ofthe outer circumferential surface of hub 50, 150. Movement of the fixedend of the clip line and hence of the clip line 60, 160 in thecircumferential direction of the outer hub surface can be prevented byappropriately shaping the surface which is in contact with the start ofthe clip line. For this purpose, a free end 24, 124 of the hook-shapedholding means 20, 120 may be embodied so that it broadens towards theouter hub surface, as can be seen from FIGS. 5 a and 8 a, in particular.

The retention force exerted by holding means 20, 120 ensures that theone end of clip line 60, 160 is securely held in place when the clipline is reeled onto the clip storage drum. To unreel the clip linecompletely, the start of the clip line is released from the holdingmeans.

The holding means 20, 120 may be made of plastic. The entire drum body10, 110 may also be made of plastic. A suitable plastic is polystyrene,for example.

1. A clip storage drum for storing and dispensing a reeled clip line, inparticular a line of S-clips, said drum comprising: a drum body whichhas a hub and side walls respectively arranged at the axial end faces ofsaid hub, said side walls extending beyond the circumferential surfaceof the hub in the radial direction, wherein the storage space defined bythe inner facing surfaces of the side walls and the hub and extendingcircumferentially around the hub is used to accommodate the clip line,where a holding means for fixing the start of the clip line to the drumbody is provided on the outer circumferential surface of the hub.
 2. Theclip storage drum according to claim 1, where the holding means isembodied as a clamping device for clamping the start of the clip line.3. The clip storage drum according to claim 1, where the retention forceof the holding means is directed towards the hub surface.
 4. The clipstorage drum according to claim 1, where the surface of the holdingmeans engaging with the start of the clip line is adapted to thecross-sectional profile of the start of the clip line.
 5. The clipstorage drum according to claim 1, where the holding means is adapted tofix the start of a line of S-clips.
 6. The clip storage drum accordingto claim 1, where the holding means is adapted to hold a plurality ofclips at the start of the clip line.
 7. The clip storage drum accordingto claim 1, where the holding means is in the shape of a hook.
 8. Theclip storage drum according to claim 7, where the hook-shaped holdingmeans has a free end which broadens towards the hub surface.
 9. The clipstorage drum according to claim 1, where the holding means is formedintegrally with the hub or with a hub portion which is securely attachedto the rest of the hub body.
 10. The clip storage drum according toclaim 1, where the holding means is adapted to release the start of theclip line for complete unwinding of the clip line.
 11. The clip storagedrum according to claim 1, where the holding means is designed to beresiliently elastic.
 12. The clip storage drum according to claim 1,where the holding means is arranged in the axial centre of the hub onthe outer circumferential surface of the hub.
 13. The clip storage drumaccording to claim 1, where the holding means is arranged adjacent to aside wall on the outer circumferential surface of the hub.
 14. The clipstorage drum according to claim 1, where the holding means is arrangedon the outer circumferential surface of the hub and in the region of anopening which is located in one of the two side walls.
 15. The clipstorage drum according to claim 1, where an angle reference point isprovided on the hub.